The King and the Baker
by TylerStories
Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets. (Fantasy Kingdom AU; Peeta/Cato; More information inside!)
1. Prologue

**THE KING AND THE BAKER**

* * *

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Slash, Swearing, Alcohol, Grotesque Violence, Sexual Situations

Pairing: Peeta/Cato

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or anything associated with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets.

Author's Notes: This prologue will reveal the basic backstory, setting, and some of the important characters in this fanfic.

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

**THE RECENT HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF PANEM**

For over sixty years, King Coriolanus of House Snow ruled Panem with an iron fist. The people of the kingdom dubbed him "The Cruel King" due to his harsh taxing system and even harsher punishments for criminals. However, King Coriolanus was quite a successful leader. Under his rule, he built Kingsland, Panem's grand Capitol and the location of the King's castle. He also fended off several invading enemies in a military conflict known as "The Great War," but his success in battle came at a cost. All of his brothers and sons were slain in battle, and his only surviving heir, his grandson, Lord Cato, was but a small child.

Years later, King Coriolanus fell ill and died, making Lord Cato of House Snow the youngest king to ever rule over Panem at the age of fifteen. His age wasn't the only thing to make him a historic king though. He quickly became well renowned for his tactical military genius. He was given the nickname "The Wolf King" due his sheer cunning and viciousness in battle (combined with love of wolf fur clothing).

The three years he has ruled as king thus far have been quite eventful. In order to secure wealth and soldiers for the prosperity of the Kingdom, King Cato made a deal with House Crane, a powerful family at the southern end of Panem. To seal the deal, he had to appoint the son of the house, Lord Marvel, to a position of great importance _and_ marry the daughter of the house, Lady Glimmer. Lord Marvel was then appointed as Hand of the King and Commander of the Royal Guard, and Lady Glimmer became Queen Glimmer after an extravagant wedding.

Satisfied with the positions of his children, Seneca, the Head of House Crane blessed King Cato with his wealth and soldiers, making him the most powerful king to ever rule in Panem. The manpower of his Royal Army and Royal Navy swelled, and the Kingdom of Panem prospered more than ever has before.

Despite his power, King Cato did have enemies. A small queendom across the Great Western Sea known as Mycetias was defeated by King Coriolanus many years ago, and now after years of secretly rebuilding, it sought revenge. There are other enemies closer to home as well. Assassins have attempted to take the life of King Cato several times. To combat the assassination attempts, King Cato appointed his cousin, Lady Clove of House Snow, as the Justice of the King, the head executioner, and as his personal bodyguard. She was a talented little assassin herself and struck fear in the hearts of anyone who attempted to slay the king.

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**KINGSLAND – THE CAPITOL OF PANEM**

Created decades ago under the rule of King Coriolanus of House Snow, Kingsland was established as the Capitol Panem and the home of the King's Castle. Nestled on the northwestern coast of Panem, Kingsland is a prosperous port city that is protected by King Cato's powerful Royal Navy. The city itself is separated from the castle by high walls, making the castle only accessible by a heavily guarded entrance gate.

The castle is massive, grand, and dominates the skyline. It is made of thick, white stone and adorned with two flag designs. The first flag design is that of House Snow, white flags with gold trim and a golden shield and sword at the middle. The second flag design belongs to King Cato. It is a blue flag with a black wolf head in the center and small, black diamonds in the four corners.

The throne room is a large wide open area. It is pure white and very clean. Near the back wall is a raised platform with steps to get to the top of it. On it is the king and queen's thrones. The king's throne is a magnificent display all on its own. It is translucent and designed with icicle-like protrusions jutting out from the top and sides. The queen's throne is designed the same way, but scaled down and not nearly as extravagant.

In front of the castle and inside of the city are many family owned businesses and traveling merchants. The city is heavily populated and bustling. Surrounding much the city are tall walls to protect the people and slow down invaders. The back side of the castle is built against a large cliff that drops down to a tiny beach and a bay that leads out into the Great Western Sea.

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**THE MELLARK FAMILY BAKERY**

Established in Kingsland decades ago under the rule of King Coriolanus, the Mellark Family Bakery is a small, family-run business that makes and sells breads and desserts. It isn't the most popular bakery in town, nor the biggest, but in recent years, King Cato has developed a taste for the cupcakes the bakery produces. Several times a week he visits the bakery for the Mellark's delicious delicacies and has become one of their most loyal customers. But one day, Peeta, the boy responsible for making the King's cupcakes, learned that he had a taste for more than just the sweets.

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**END OF PROLOGUE**

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! Hopefully this prologue provided you with enough information to get you interested in the story without ruining it. I have a lot planned for this to make it a fairly unique and exciting fanfic all at the same time. The story and plot will begin in Chapter One, which will be in the next update (and yes, the actual chapters of the story will be much longer than the prologue.)

Please leave a review with any questions, concerns, or comments you may have. I also ask that you leave a review so I know that there is some interest in this story. I haven't seen very many Kingdom Fantasies in this fandom, so I would like some reassurance that this fanfic will have an audience when I continue writing. Also, if you have any ideas about what you would like to see in this story, feel free to put that down in a review as well. I'm open to anything!

This is my second fanfic (_Dissonance and Dominance_ is my first and it is still incomplete at this point), which means I am technically writing two of them at the same time. Updates may be a tad bit slower at first, but winter break is coming up soon, so I think I'll manage!

Feel free to follow me on tumblr: tylerthinks . tumblr . com (just take out the spaces)

And…

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!


	2. A Peasant's Royal Day

**THE KING AND THE BAKER**

* * *

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Slash, Swearing, Alcohol, Grotesque Violence, Sexual Situations

Pairing: Peeta/Cato

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or anything associated with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became the King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets.

Author's Notes: This chapter is in Peeta's point of view. Enjoy!

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**CHAPTER ONE: A PEASANT'S ROYAL DAY**

"Peeta, are you finished with those cupcakes yet? The king will be here any minute!" my dad calls out from the front of the bakery. His voice is frantic and rushed. I know exactly what is going through his head. Every few days, King Cato stops by our bakery for my cupcakes. He usually comes in the early afternoon, but yesterday, he us sent a messenger notifying that the king will arrive early in the morning. We woke up much sooner than usual to get the shop ready and presentable for the king, but we are not fully ready. My dad is nearly panicking as he tries to sweep away excess flour and tidy up the dessert display. He is always a nervous wreck when he knows the king is coming.

"No, I'm not done yet," I tell my father as I continue putting the icing on the cupcakes. Today, I choose to do a more intricate design for the king. Instead designing graceful and beautiful flowers, which I am best at, I decide to design the wolf head symbol in black icing on top of a layer of royal blue icing with four black diamonds, like what flies on the king's flags. I am sure he'll like him. He likes everything I've made for him thus far.

"Well, get a move on, son!"

There is really nothing I can do to speed up my work. If I go any faster, the quality of the cupcake designs will suffer, which will make them unworthy of the king. I have to continue at my slow and steady pace, even if I am running out of time. I don't want to disappoint the king. He is one of our most loyal customers, and his purchases have kept us from going under financially on several occasions. I am not sure if we can afford to lose his business at this point.

"Son, he's here!" my dad shouts, and before I can react, I hear the sound of the small bell hanging above the door begin to ring, meaning it was opened. Next I hear the sound of footsteps moving across the bakery's wooden floor.

I take a deep breath. I can't allow myself to panic. I have to finish, but the cupcakes have to be presentable. I continue working and listen in putting on icing.

"G-good morning, Y-your Greatness," I hear my father greet the king. He sounds just as nervous as usual.

"Good morning, Mr. Mellark," King Cato replies, his voice deep and majestic. I can tell from his voice alone that he is strong and intelligent. He is a born leader. "I'll have the usual dozen."

My father hesitates.

"Where are they?" says a harsh, female voice. I instantly recognize it as the voice of Lady Clove of House Snow, the king's personal bodyguard. She also serves as the Justice of the King, which is a fancier way of saying that she is his executioner. I have seen her publicly decapitate many criminals. She is a person to be feared for sure.

"My apologies, my Lady, but my son is putting on the final touches. I am terribly sorry for the delay… I…"

I look down at the cupcakes in front of me. They are finally finished. "I'm done!" I call out from the back of the bakery to spare my father any further embarrassment.

I carry the cupcakes out on a tray and set them on the display counter for the king to inspect. His eyes peer down at the momentarily before glancing up and locking with my own.

"Do these suffice, Your Greatness?" I ask weakly. I feel nervous like my father when the king lays eyes on me. His crystal blue eyes are a spectacular sight. They are cold, sending chills down my spine, but enchanting. I feel myself becoming unable to look away.

A smirk forms on the king's mouth. "They are quite spectacular," he says gently. "Your best work yet."

"Thank you, Your Greatness," I say as I bow my head. I then begin placing the cakes in a small wooden box for him just as one of the king's servants hand my father a small satchel of gold coins as payment for the desserts. A second servant steps forward and grabs the box.

"Your business is greatly appreciated, Your Greatness," my father says as he bows to the king.

"You Mellarks are too kind," King Cato replies, "but my business here is not finished just yet."

My father and I look at each other nervously. We have no idea what to expect.

"I've come here for one other thing."

"Sure," my father says next with enthusiasm, "anything for you, Your Greatness. We have a fresh selection of breads, cakes, and other desserts. Just take your pick."

"That's not what I had in mind," King Cato mutters as he approaches me. "Peeta Mellark, I want you to work in my castle as my Royal Baker."

I am stunned… speechless… and so is my father. It is a grand offer, one I can't refuse. However, it isn't feasible for me, my father, and the bakery. I can't leave. I'm needed here. My father can't work the bakery on his own. "Your Greatness," I say cautiously, choosing my words carefully, "I would be honored to be your Royal Baker, but I… I can't…"

All eyes in the room are on me. Everyone seems… dumbfounded by what I just said. No one refuses an offer from the king. No one. Refusing or disobeying the king is seen as treason, which is punishable by death.

I think I just condemned myself.

Lady Clove steps my way. I can already envision my heads behind sliced off of my neck and rolling across the floor. Luckily, King Cato raises a hand, commanding her to stop in her tracks. "Why can't you?" he asks curiously.

"Your Greatness, if I leave, this bakery will go under. My father can't run the place alone, and we can't afford to hire any workers."

My family used to be more than just me and my father. I had a mother and two brothers, but they have passed away. My mother died after giving birth to me, and both of my brothers died in serving the king in the Royal Army.

"My mother has passed, and my brothers died fighting in your army, Your Greatness. This bakery is all my father and I have left. I don't want to lose it."

King Cato's eyes stare into mine again. I feel my nerves come back but to a greater extent. "I was not aware of this," he says apologetically, "so I will not force you to do anything."

I breathe a sigh of relief. I guess I'll be keeping my head.

"However," he speaks up again, "I am adamant about you serving in my castle, so I will make an offer you cannot refuse." He turns around and waves his hand, commanding one of his servants to step forward. I watch the king closely as he momentarily stands with his back to me. He wears a long wolf fur cape that looks quite warm and comfortable. It is a nice thing to have now that winter has begun. And around his waist is his a belt and the holster of his sword. The sword the king carries is shorter than most swords I've seen soldiers carrying around before, but it looked extra sharp and deadly. My finger would probably start bleeding just from touching the tip of the shiny metal blade. If any assassin made it past all of his guards, they would have their hands full with him for sure.

His servant walks forward with a heavy looking bag in his hands. King Cato turns around and speaks his terms, "Inside this bag is more gold than this entire shop is worth. Accept my offer, and it will belong to your father. It's enough for him to hire workers and even do a few renovations. He could ever retire off of it if he wanted."

I look over to my father for his opinion. He smiles and me and nods his head. "It's an opportunity for you to move up in the world, son."

"I know," I reply, "but I think I would feel guilty leaving you…"

"You'll still be able to visit him," the king adds. "I'm not keeping you locked away and isolated from the world, you know."

"Think about it son," my dad says, "this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. What are the odds that you will ever get asked to do something like this again? This is your chance to make a name for yourself, to become something more than just the son of a baker."

"You're right," I say with confidence. Everything my father told me has truth to it. If I denied the king's offer, I would be stuck with hard labor in a bakery for the rest of my life. If I accept his offer, I may work hard at first, but eventually I'll most likely be one of the lucky few with enough money to settle down and retire. Plus, my father benefits from the king's offer as well. I finally realize that the opportunity is just too great to pass up. Besides, who doesn't want to work in the king's castle? It's beautiful!

"Your Greatness, I apologize for my previous denial," I say sincerely. "I humbly accept your offer to be your Royal Baker."

I take a bow just as the king makes a motion with his hand. His servant drops the heavy bag of gold coins on the floor for my father. "Wonderful. We depart for my castle immediately. I have business to attend to."

"Should I pack my things?" I ask before the king gets a chance to walk away.

"It's not necessary," he replies. "You will be supplied with everything you will ever need."

I walk to my father and hug him. "I'll see you soon," I whisper as he ruffles my hair a bit.

"I'm so happy for you, son," he says with a smile. "Make me proud!"

"I will," I promise him as I turn to the king.

"Walk with me, Peeta," he says as he puts his arm out for me.

I step toward him and his arm goes around my shoulders as he leads me out of the bakery. And then I realize something. I, a peasant, am being _touched_ by the king. This is momentous. The king does not casually touch peasants… it's unheard of… unfathomable… I rub my eyes to check if they are deceiving me.

Nope, no deception…

Being so close to the king, I notice a few of interesting things about him. He is clean, very clean. There is not a speck of dirt on his body, and he does not have the same stench of the normal peasants. He smells of flowers, beautiful and elegant. I almost envy it.

I've always known that the king is strong, but by the sturdy hold his arm has on me, any doubt I have about his strength (not like I have any to begin with) is quickly dismissed. He obviously has sculpted muscle hidden beneath his expensive royal garbs.

All eyes are on me as we walk the short distance on the street to the king's magnificent carriage. I can only imagine what is going through the minds of everyone staring at me. It is quite an unusual sight to see a peasant boy being walked alongside the king with his good graces. In their positions, I would be equally astonished.

A servant opens the doors to the beautiful white carriage made of painted metal and wood connected to two powerful and well-groomed white horses. I step aside to allow the king to enter, but he gives me a gentle shove, insisting that I be the first to enter. I pause momentarily and step inside. The interior is just as beautiful as the exterior. I would expect nothing less of a carriage of the king. The seats are comfortably padded and there is a small plate of fresh fruit inside as well.

King Cato takes a seat next to me and Lady Clove takes a seat across from us. The carriage then starts moving at a rather slow pace. It must not be able to travel very fast in the crowded city streets. I assume the servants walking behind are having no trouble keeping up.

"Your Greatness," I speak up hesitantly. I am unsure if I should even question the king, but curiosity is getting the best of me. "Your sword, it's very different from most others I have seen…"

"Yes, yes it is," he replies with a smirk as he draws the weapon from its holster. He holds it near me so I can get a better view. "This blade is very important," he explains, "it is designed for when a threat gets up close and personal. Assassins are quick and sneaky, which means I have to be just as quick and maneuverable as they are, and it is very difficult to do that with a massive sword, especially in tight quarters."

"I see," I say with a nod. "Are you attacked often by assassins?"

"More often that I'd like to admit," he answers.

It makes sense to me why he has a short sword. If an assassin wants to kill him, they would have to move in close, and shorter swords are more effective at defending against closer targets.

"Would you like to hold it?" he asks.

"S-sure," I stutter. "I'd be honored…"

King Cato takes hold of the blade carefully and hands it to me hilt first. I grab onto it and immediately feel empowered. It is the first time I have ever held a sword, and it feels amazing. It's a bit heavier than I expected, but I find it to be rather impressive either way. The desire to have one to call my own fills my mind. I don't even know what I would do with a sword. I have never fought a day in my life, but I wouldn't mind owning one either way.

"Do you like it?"

"Of course," I reply as I hand it back, "it's… fit for a king."

Despite the slow pace, it doesn't take us long at all to reach the castle. Out of a small hole carved into the carriage wall, I see the walls of the castle and the large coming closer. Then, the doors of the massive gate prop open precisely as the carriage arrives, and for the first time I enter the king's castle. The carriage comes to a stop and the doors to it open up. Lady Clove steps out first, followed by King Cato, and I follow behind. "Follow me, Royal Baker," he commands as he starts walking.

We make out way into the throne room. It is a wide open space, white like snow, and the focus point is solely on the thrones, where the queen is sitting pretty. She smiles as we enter. "Welcome back, my king," she says gleefully.

"Thank you, my beautiful queen," he replies as he takes a seat in his throne next to hers.

"You bring a guest?" the queen asks next.

"Yes," the king explains, "this is Peeta Mellark. He will serve as the castle's Royal Baker starting immediately."

I bow and once again all eyes are on me. The queen giggles. "A Royal Baker? Is the Royal Chef not capable of baking bread?"

"He is very capable, but Peeta's cupcakes are to die for."

King Cato snaps his fingers and a servant brings the box of cupcakes I made to him.

"Oh, so this is the artist behind the cupcakes," the queen says, "with him around the castle, you'll fatten up quick."

"There's nothing wrong with being fat and happy," I hear another voice say. I turn around to see a young man around the age of the king enter with a smirk on his face. I've seen him around the city before. It's Lord Marvel, Hand of the King, Commander of the King's Guard, and brother of the queen.

"Ah, Lord Marvel, just the man I was looking for," the king greets, "see to it that the new Royal Baker is treated to a bath and fresh wardrobe."

Lord Marvel puts an arm around my shoulders. "Yes, Your Greatness," he says. "Right this way."

I am led out of the throne room and begin walking various hallways marching up various staircases. It will take me a while to memorize the layout of the humongous castle.

"The king must fancy you," Lord Marvel says while we walk. "He doesn't offer a place in the castle to just anyone."

"Fancy me?" I ask curiously. "He just fancies my sweets."

Lord Marvel snickers. "I don't know about that."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well," he explains, "the king isn't the kind of man go out of his way for desserts."

I shrug my shoulders. "Maybe I'm the exception."

"Maybe so, but the question is _why_ are you the exception?"

"So… why would he fancy me? He's married to the queen and she is extremely beautiful."

"You're right, my sister is beautiful," he says as he comes to a stop and turns to me, "but their marriage isn't about love, affection, or physical attraction. It was an arranged marriage. It happens all the time among Panem's wealthy families."

"Why?"

"You are full of questions today, aren't you?" Lord Marvel laughs. "Arranged marriages are done to secure wealth, resources, and power. The king wanted my family's wealth and soldiers, and my family wanted a direct line to the throne. It was a mutual agreement that was mutually beneficial."

I nod my head. I understand. It makes perfect sense really. Would I do it though? Probably not… I don't know if I would be happy marrying someone only for their possessions. Then again, my father and I don't have very many things to bargain with, so I probably won't have to deal being thrown into an arranged marriage anytime soon.

We round a corner and a servant opens a door for us to a small room with a steaming pool of water in the middle. It must be the royal bath.

"Alright, here you are," says lord Marvel, "when you are finished, a servant will give you fresh clothing and lead you to your quarters. Enjoy."

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**END OF CHAPTER ONE**

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading the first chapter of _The King and the Baker_! I hope you enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I want to address a few things real quick. Yes, this story is influenced by _Game of Thrones_. I recently discovered it on HBO and fell in love! Also, it is true, Cato and Glimmer are married. However, it doesn't mean they are in love as Marvel has stated in this chapter. It was arranged to secure resources. So don't worry yourselves too much. :P

Feel free to leave a review! I will have another update hopefully before the new year gets here!

And…

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!


	3. The Heart of the Wolf King

**THE KING AND THE BAKER**

* * *

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Slash, Swearing, Alcohol, Grotesque Violence, Sexual Situations

Pairing: Peeta/Cato

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or anything associated with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became the King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets.

Author's Notes: Here is the much asked for second chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO: THE HEART OF THE WOLF KING**

I wake up in the morning feeling fresh and comfortable. The bed I slept in literally gave me the best night of sleep I've ever had despite the fact that it was the first time I've spent a night away from home without my family. I get dressed in the fancy clothes provided to me and then hear a loud knocking on my door. "Umm… come in," I say hesitantly after checking to make sure I am presentable.

In walk two royal guards followed by King Cato. "Good morning, Peeta Mellark," he says while his chilly blue eyes. "How did you sleep?"

"Great," I reply with a pleasant smile. The king sends a smile right back at me. "I can't thank you enough for your hospitality."

"There's no need to thank me. You deserve all the amenities I have to offer."

After he finishes his statement, my memories are drawn back to what Lord Marvel said to me the night before… about the king _fancying_ me. He speaks as if he does… so polite and kind… Is he like that to everyone? Either way, I am still not convinced. I have not seen enough evidence to be swayed to believing that King Cato _likes_ me of all people.

"As much as I'd like you to start baking for me today, I have decided to make you my personal guest for the day," His Greatness says next, "so you will get a feel for what goes on inside the castle."

"That sounds wonderful!"

He turns around and flips his long wolf fur cape up once so he isn't stepping on it. "First, we will visit the castle bakery." He then walks out of the room and I walk after him closely. The guards follow us not too far off. "As of right now," the king says, "only our Royal Chef and his servants use the bakery, but I'm going to put you in charge of it so the chef can focus more on the kitchen." I nod. It sounds like a good plan to me.

A couple of minutes later we arrive in the bakery. "It's amazing," I say in awe. It is equipped with several overs, lots of baking supplies, and a huge pantry full of ingredients to use. My father would probably faint if he saw how magnificent this bakery is. It is truly a sight to behold.

"I'm glad you like it," King Cato replies while placing a hand on my shoulder. "I'd let you stay and bake a few things, but we have some royal matters to attend to."

"Royal matters?" I ask. "Like what?"

"Judging lawbreakers and addressing other concerns," he replies. "Let's get to the throne room. I have a lot to address today."

We take the walk across the castle to the throne room where King Cato sits in his magnificent throne next to Queen Glimmer in her own throne. Next to the king stand Lord Marvel and Lady Clove, and next to the queen stood two familiar figures that are well-known around Kingsland. Those two are the twins Sir Gloss of the Royal Guard and his sister Cashmere, who serves as the queen's personal assistant and fashion consultant. I believe Sir Gloss was recently recruited as the queen's personal body guard as well.

I stand off to the side of the room with other observers as Lord Marvel steps forward to initiate the meeting. "Before we begin passing along royal judgments, there are a few concerned persons who wish to speak to the king," he says as he turns to the throne. "With your permission, Your Greatness."

King Cato nods.

Most of the people wishing to speak with the king come from villages outside of Kingsland. They ask about establishing new trade routes, assistance from recent bouts of inclement weather, and other things of that nature, but one of the concerns spoken to the king caught my attention and the attention of everyone in the room.

"Your Greatness," says a bowing young man, most likely in his mid-twenties. He is quite handsome and catches the eyes of all the ladies in the room. Even the queen gives him a second look. "My name is Finnick Odair. I am from a fishing village south of Kingsland and I am here on behalf of my village elder who is far too old to travel."

"What brings you here, Mr. Odair?" the king asks.

"Well, on our fishing excursions, we have noticed several large ships sailing around. They look like naval vessels, but they fly a strange flag… one I've never seen before."

"Do you think these ships come from the lands on the other side of the Great Western Sea?"

"The village elder seems thinks so. She insists that the ships are Mycetian."

The throne room erupts into small chatter and hushed whispers. After Queen Coin, the ruler of Mycetias was defeated by King Snow in the Great War, her queendom collapsed and she was never heard from again.

"What makes her think that the ships are from Mycetias?"

Finnick shrugs his shoulders. "She says the flags on the ships share the same symbols as the Mycetian flags that were there during the war."

"What kind of symbols?"

The room falls silent as everyone listens in.

"Well, she said something about a black dragon head inside of a circle spitting flames…"

Lord Marvel looks to the king. "That sounds very… familiar."

"Commander Enobaria," His Greatness says next, addressing the Commander of the Royal Navy, "send a small fleet south to Mr. Odair's village, and from there, sail west and investigate these claims."

The scary woman with gold-tipped teeth steps forward and bows. "Right away, Your Greatness."

"Report any findings you come across immediately. If that bitch has decided to come out of hiding, I'll give her a good reason crawl back into the hole from which she emerged."

Commander Enobaria smirks before turning around and making her leave.

The king had a fierce look in his face. Everyone knows of the horrific times Queen Coin and her army bestowed upon Panem in the past. She is ruthless and is well known for violently torturing captured soldiers. She is also known for showing no mercy to anyone, not even her own people.

Once the remaining issues are addressed by the king, many suspected criminals bound by chains are led into the into the throne room accompanied by several guards. It is time for the king to pass his judgment.

First up is a man with a grotesquely scarred face. He spits on the floor before he is shoved to his knees.

"You have been charged with attempting to assassinate the king. How do you plead?" asks Lord Marvel.

"Fuck you, Crane scum! And fuck you, Cato! I hope your corpse is deserted and devoured by vultures!"

When King Snow died, several people and their loyal followers tried to steal the throne away from Cato because they thought he was too young and not fit to be king. Someone people still don't think he deserves the crown.

"Guilty," the king says without hesitation, "and he is to be executed immediately."

The guards pull his arms back, push his back down, and exposed his neck all in one motion. Lady Clove, the Justice of the King, then steps forward. She is holding massive sword with a long, sharp, and heavy blade. I am surprised she even has the strength to carry it. She is quite small but obviously quite strong for her size as well.

As she approaches the failed assassin, I feel I should close my eyes. I do not want to witness a beheading, but I can't stop watching… It's so… surreal… in a matter of moments that man's life will be gone.

Once she reaches the man, Lady Clove hoists the large sword over her head. The condemned man closes his eyes and waits for the inevitable. In one fell swoop the sword comes down on his neck and easily passes through his flesh and bone. Without having any last words, his head hit the ground with a solid thump and his decapitated body becomes dead weight. One of the guards grabs the head by the hair and picked it up off the ground while the others began carrying away the body to be disposed of.

"Stake the head and display it outside the castle walls," the king commands. "Maybe that will deter the next would be assassin."

The rest of the criminals are punished by being forced to pay hefty fines or spend time in the dungeons, but the last criminal to be put in front of the king is a bit of an attention grabber because he is so much younger than the other criminals. A boy with black hair and brown eyes is pushed forward. He drops to his knees in front of the king. He looks to be close to my age, maybe a year or two younger at the most. And he's pretty small. He looks like he couldn't hurt a fly.

"This is the one I was telling you about the other day, dear," Queen Glimmer says to her husband. "The little bastard somehow managed to steal from the carriage containing the gold my father was sending us." She glares at the boy coldly. "Make sure he is dealt with the upmost severity."

The king actually laughs. "How did _he_ manage to steal from one of your family's carriages? Aren't they heavily guarded?"

"You," the queen says as she points to one of the Crane family's guards. "Answer your king's questions."

The guard steps up and bows. "Your Greatness, along the route from Crane's castle to Kingsland, we stop for a moment to… relieve nature's call… when we return, we find the lock to the carriage was picked and the boy was running off with three bags of gold. He probably would have gotten away too if one of the bags didn't rip and leave us a trail of coins to follow..."

"And did you recover all the money?"

"No, my king, two of the three bags ended up falling into a river and was carried off by the current."

"What a shame," the king says. "Read him his charges."

Lord Marvel clears his throat. "You are charged with high thievery. How do you plead?"

The boy looks to the ground. He was caught red handed. Everyone in the room already knows he is not innocent of the crime of which he is charged. "Guilty…" he says solemnly.

"Which is your dominant hand?" the king asks.

The boy holds up his right. Tears roll down his cheeks.

"Remove it."

The guards grab a table and move it in front of the young criminal. His right hand is placed on the table while Lady Clove approached wielding a knife. The punishment for high thievery is hand amputation.

"Wait," says Lord Marvel before Lady Clove has a chance to carry out the punishment. "I wish to offer an… alternative punishment for the young thief."

King Cato looks to his right hand man and nods, giving him permission to speak.

"Boy, do you have any family?" the Hand of the King asks curiously.

He shakes his head. No.

"Do you have a home to speak of?"

He shakes his head again. No.

"Do you regret committing this crime against my family and the crown?"

This time, he nods his head. Yes.

"And do you want to keep your hand?"

He nods again. Yes. The boy looks to Lord Marvel with his watery, red eyes. Is the Hand of the King showing him mercy?

"I am in need of a personal servant," he explains, "so you can lose your hand or… you can enslave yourself to me and to House Crane until I feel you have worked long enough to repay gold that was lost."

"This is outrageous," the queen interjects. "He needs to be made an example of. Anyone who steals from our family, brother, is stealing from the crown! He should not be let off so easily!"

"No, sister, what is outrageous is the fact that our guards are too incompetent to secure our wealth from simple orphan," he harshly replies to the queen.

The king puts a hand up, motioning for the two of them to quiet down. "So, what shall it be," he asks the thief, "your hand or your freedom?"

A bag of gold can feed an average family in Kingsland several years. It is a lot of money, and the fact that the boy was responsible for the loss of two bags meant that he would be in servitude to Lord Marvel for a very long time. Still, if I was in his shoes, I would be more than willing to give up my freedom in order to keep my hand.

"I… I chose Lord Marvel's punishment, Your Greatness."

The king nods and looks to his right hand man. The boy belongs to Lord Marvel now. "Bring me the branding rod."

A guard walks out of the throne room and renters a few moments later with some servants carting a small, stone pit with burning logs in the center. Lord Marvel is handed a long iron rod with a circular insignia on the end with the basic shape of a bird, which I assume is a crane. He sticks the end of the rod into the flames and lets it burn until it is red hot. The guards then pull up the boy's sleeve of his right arm and Lord Marvel presses the burning, metal design against his new slave's skin, branding him with the mark of House Crane to signify who he belongs to.

The boy cries out in agony, causing me to cringe.

"Clean him up and take him to my chambers. I will be there shortly."

After that, there are no more matters to be addressed by the king for the day, and everyone begins filing out of the throne room. King Cato stands and walks to me. "Welcome to the life of royalty," he says with a sigh. "Dishing out punishments isn't my proudest job as king, but it is still my duty."

"Yeah, I understand," I say. However, I'm glad I'm not the one having to decide people's fates on a daily basis. That seems way too stressful for me, but someone has to do it.

The king turns around and watches the queen as she chats with Sir Gloss. She seems quite happily as she giggles and smiles at him. He seems quite happy as well, but King Cato, he seems to be rather… indifferent. To me, what the queen and Sir Gloss are doing looks like flirting.

"Join me for lunch," the king commands suddenly.

We walk to the king's chambers where a small table is set up with a variety of food on its surface. "Have a seat." I sit down and the king sits across from me. "So, Peeta, are you enjoying your stay at my castle so far?"

"Yes, Your Greatness," I reply with a smile.

"Please, call me Cato when it's just us two alone. There's no need for formalities right now."

"Oh, okay… Cato…"

The king… I mean, Cato… smirks at me. "So… if you don't mind me asking… have you started courting a lucky young lady yet?"

"N-no," I say a bit nervously. I have never thought about courting a girl because… well… I like… men…

"Do you trust me?" Cato asks.

"Of course, Your Gre-I mean, Cato."

"Because I feel like I can trust you," he explains. "I'm pretty good at reading people... at least I like to think I am, and you seem like a very trustworthy, dependable person."

I shrug my shoulders. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"And that is one of the two reasons why I've invited you into my castle."

"Are my cupcakes the other reason?"

He laughs and shakes his head left to right.

"Well… what is it then?" I ask curiously.

"You really want to know?"

I nod. My curiosity gets the best of me. I have to know.

"I like you," he says simply, "ever since the first time I've laid eyes on you…"

It looks like Lord Marvel was right. The king does fancy me.

I don't know how to respond… so I don't. My mouth closes shut and I sit in silence.

"Is that something you didn't want to hear?" he asks with a bit of concern in his face.

"No… no, it's not that. I… it's just a lot to take in, you know? You're… the king… and I'm a baker," I explain, "and you're married…"

Cato scoffs. "First of all, you're not just any baker. You're the Royal Baker. And my wife… we are connected through marriage, but that's where the relationship ends. I married her for her father's wealth and resources, and in return, he gets a direct line to the throne… and one day and heir. It's what I had to do to secure my place on the throne. If it wasn't for the help I received from Crane family, I probably would have been usurped by those wish to take my place on the throne."

It's all starting to make sense to me.

"Besides, the queen has her own lover, Sir Gloss," he explains, "and there is no reason why I can't as well."

The king's hand then reaches across the table and gently takes hold of mine. "You want me to be…?"

"I want you to be mine…"

I feel my face grown warm. I'm probably blushing. How can I say no to that? He's a king. He's handsome, wealthy, and powerful… what more could I ask for? I should at least give it a try.

"You can say no to me if you want," he reminds me. "I won't be angry with you."

"Maybe I don't want to say it…"

"That's all I need to hear," he replies. "But we must keep this between us for now."

I nod.

The king stands up from his seat and leans over the small table. His head moves close to mine… and then… our lips meet.

We share a kiss...

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWO**

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! If you were wondering, the little thief boy is the District 3 male tribute from the 74th games. I feel like he finally deserves a spot in at least one of my fanfics. Anyway, sorry for the long wait, but now that I've finished _Dissonance and Dominance,_ all my fanfic writing time will be devoted to this story.

Please leave a review and feel free to follow me on tumblr (tylerthinks . tumblr . com) for all your Peeta/Cato needs!

And lastly…

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!


	4. The Touch of His Greatness

**THE KING AND THE BAKER**

* * *

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Slash, Swearing, Alcohol, Grotesque Violence, Sexual Situations

Pairing: Peeta/Cato

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or anything associated with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became the King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets.

Author's Notes: The plot will pick up soon, but for now, I feel a little bit of "relationship development" is required before things start heating up in the Kingdom of Panem… and trust me, it will be intense!

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE: THE TOUCH OF HIS GREATNESS**

A full day has passed since the eye-opening lunch I had with the king. I still remember the feeling of his lips pressed again me – so warm and light, making my lips tingle. It was my first kiss, and I hope it won't be my last. Our lunch ended shortly after the kiss. The king had to return to his duties. I spent the rest of the day following him around, but we did not have any alone time after that. The king was super busy.

Today, I have spent most of my time in the bakery. The queen was hosting a feast for all the lords and ladies in Panem, and I am in charge of baking the bread and sweets for them all. It is hard work, but in a matter of hours, I have cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies, and lots of other goodies baked for dessert along with some delicious, fresh-baked bread to go with their meals.

Hearing a lot of commotion coming from the large dining hall where the lords and ladies will be feasting, I finish things up and prepare to serve it all to the wealthiest and most powerful people in Panem.

I hear a utensil being tapped against a glass. Then comes the king's voice. "I want to thank you all for coming to the royal feast," he says nicely. "I'm not great with these sorts of speeches, so let's chow down and save the pleasantries for later!"

That was the cue for the servants to begin bringing food out. I grab a large tray containing several plates of bread and bring it out into the dining hall. Everyone is sitting at an extremely long table with the King Cato at the head and Lord Crane at the opposite end – the spots seem to be reserved for the two most people men in the kingdom.

The Crane family is the most powerful family in Panem. They are the richest, own the most land, and hold the largest amount of manpower, and Lord Crane is the patriarch of that family. He singlehandedly secured a safe and successful future for his children as well by striking a deal with King Cato that allowed for the wealthy landlord's son to become the Hand of the King and his daughter to become a queen. But he did not cut the deal just to benefit his children. The deal directly benefits him as well. It ensures that he has a direct line to the throne, drastically increasing his power and influence all across the kingdom.

Lord Crane has an eccentric beard and fancily dyed silk clothing that is more extravagant than anything I have ever seen before. It is like his is wearing a display of his wealth and power for all to see. However, one person catches my attention more than he ever could – the king. He is looking as handsome as ever with his spectacular crown upon his head as he feasts.

I place the plates of bread evenly along the entire length of the table, saving the last plate for the end at which the king sits. He smirks at me as I place one of the plates near him. He also gives me a subtle wink, causing me to smile uncontrollably for a few seconds.

Servants pour out of the kitchen and begin serving other delicious food, making many of the lords and ladies let out very satisfied sounds of "ooh" and "ahh." The king and I share fleeting glances and grins the entire time. I am surprised no one else notices. The food must be good enough to keep their attentions away from suspecting anything between us.

The feast goes off without a hitch, and at the end, Cato makes sure to get everyone to let off a quick applause for the Royal Chef and me, the Royal Baker. I give a polite and modest bow. I wasn't expecting such appreciation for my baking.

When all is said and done, I help clean the bakery before the king invites me back to his chambers. Before I go, I change into cleaner, more presentable clothing, and when I arrive, two guards open the door and allow me to enter. "You did great tonight," King Cato greets me. "Several of the guests were quite impressed with your desserts."

"I'm glad my baking skills have made a good impression."

The king laughs. "Well, that's not the only thing that's made a good impression."

"Oh?"

"To be honest, you were the most… interesting thing at the feast."

I think I am blushing… hopefully the king doesn't notice. "What makes you say that?"

"The dining hall was filled with rich, spoiled snobs who wanted nothing more than to gossip and gloat about their riches," he explains, "but you… you aren't like them. You are kind and pure… and although you do not have as much gold them, your presence is worth a lot more to me."

"Thanks, Your Gr-I mean, Cato," I reply with a smile that I can't stop forming.

The king sits down on the edge of his massive bed and pats a spot next to it. "Come, sit with me."

I obey and take a seat beside him. Immediately his closest arm snakes around my back and rests near my waist. He pulls me close so that there is no longer any distance between us. I look up a bit into his blue eyes which stare down deep into my soul. I see several things in those beautiful blue orbs. I see hints of courage and ferocity with a dash of affection. I see passion and confidence fused with bravery. I see raw power and sheer strength mixed a touch of lust. I think the kings eyes say lot about who he is. I wonder what my eyes say. What is he reading as he looks into mine? What is he learning about me?

"A few of the unwed ladies were asking where I found such a handsome, talented young baker earlier," he tells me out of the blue. "I told them you're one of a kind."

"And you're right," I say, hoping I don't sound too conceited.

The king's free hand moves up and tilts my chin so that we see eye to eye again. He then moves in to plant a firm kiss on my lips. "I've been waiting a long while to do that again," he informs me, "too long actually."

I agree with him. It has been too long. I feel like I'm living in some sort of fairytale where Cato is my Prince… well… King Charming. There are probably thousands of women in Kingsland alone who would kill to he be fancied by the king, but instead of a woman, it's me he fancies. I am the one sharing kisses with the handsome ruler of Panem.

I never thought of myself as a lucky person, but I am beginning to rethink that.

The king momentarily stands up before removing his shirt and vest. My eyes are immediately drawn toward his exposed chest and stomach, which I am sure he takes notice of instantly. Are there laws against seeing the king in such a state of undress? I don't really think there are… but if they do exist, King Cato doesn't seem to mind.

"I'm just getting… comfortable," he briefly comments before tossing the few articles of clothing aside. "You don't mind, right?"

"N-not at all…"

For a moment he turns around and I catch sight of his back. There are few long scars scattered across his hard sculpted muscles and beautiful, sun kissed skin. I assume the scars are the work of slashes from swords. The king is a warrior after all. He is known for frequently charging into battle right beside his troops, fighting both as their leader and as their equal. He truly is a force to be reckoned with.

After turning back around, he reveals something to me. It is a small silver wolf head charm, shaped like the wolf on the king's flag. It looks like it can be easily attached to a necklace or bracelet of some sort. "A gift for you," he says as he hands it to me. "Wear it often for I hear it brings good luck and fortune."

"Yeah, I will, thanks!" I don't think I've ever been treated so nicely by anyone in my life. Who would have guessed that the vicious "Wolf King" could be so sweet? I slip the charm in my pocket and focus my eyes back on Cato. Wearing just his pants, he crawls in the bed and spreads his body across the surface. Seconds later, I am pulled by his side, lying down next to him with no space between us. His bare, muscular chest is pressed against my clothed one.

"Feel free to touch me," he says invitingly as his hands slide gently up and down my back.

I hesitantly let a hand land on his shoulder. His skin is warm to the touch. I let my hand explore farther down, running over his muscular arms before venturing to his defined chest. I can feel his strength beneath me, stored up and ready to be released at any moment. It's so… intimidating, but at the same time, it exhilarating. In a matter of seconds, I find myself becoming unable to take my hands off of him.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Peeta?"

I nod my head before I feel his hands slip under the hem of my shirt. I then unbutton my shirt and sit up a bit, allowing the king to slip it off of me. His fingers find their way to my newly exposed skin, feeling around curiously. "You're beautiful," he whispers to me sweetly.

"So are you, my king."

Before I know it, Cato rolls over and hovers above me. His lips make contact with my neck, tapping sweet little kisses up toward my jawline and down toward my chest. After that, I feel something hard press against my crotch… the king's arousal touching my own, separated only by the fabric of our pants. The friction of the contact forcefully pulls a moan from my throat. "Cato…" The king's lips lock with mine. My mouth of parted slightly, and before I can react his tongue slips inside, wrestling with mine.

We stay like this for a while, stopping only to catch our breaths. Cato rolls off of me and lets his hands glide across my skin. He then cups my crotch, getting a good feel for my manhood. "I want you so bad," he says as he continues rubbing my crotch. I am quivering under his touch – a slave to the pleasure pulsing through my body. It is the first time I am ever touched in such a lustful manner.

His fingers then slip under the waistline, and in that moment I realize that he king has successfully charmed and seduced his way into my pants. Was that his goal all along?

"Something on your mind?" he asks, pausing his hands for a moment.

"Yeah, I mean… no… I uh…"

"Am I going too fast?"

I nod hesitantly.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes briefly before taking his hands off of me.

"It's okay… I liked it… it's just…" I pause a moment to gather my thoughts. "You're the king. I know you, but I don't _know_ you. You know what I mean?"

He laughs. "I get it."

"Thanks for being so understanding."

The king gives me a quick peck on the lips before standing and slipping on the previously removed clothing. I do the same. Seconds later we hear knocking at the chamber door.

"Enter," the king commands when we are both fully clothed.

A guard opens the door and in walks Lord Marvel's newest servant, the former thief from yesterday. "Your Greatness," he greets with eyes toward the floor, "Lord Marvel requests that you be present to bid his father farewell for his journey back home."

"Alright," Cato replies before looking at me. "You should have back to your quarters. I'll see you again tomorrow morning."

I nod and we all exit the king's chamber, going our separate ways, but before the Lord Marvel's servant gets too far, I manage to get his attention. "Uh… hi," I say, trying to be friendly.

He stops in his tracks. "Hi," he replies shortly. He looks nervous. Truth be told, I feel bad for him. He obviously did not have a very stable life beforehand if he had to resort to thievery, and he nearly lost a hand as a punishment for his crime. The boy looks like he needs a friend. Maybe I can be that for him. I sort of know how it feels to be a newcomer to the castle… despite the fact that I was received with a much warmer welcome.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Clavis," he replies.

That's a rather interesting and unique name. Then again, so is Peeta. In all my years I have found that the people of Panem tend to have names not shared by many. "I'm Peeta Mellark, the newly appointed Royal Baker. It's nice to meet you, Clavis."

"It's… nice to meet you, too…"

"Listen, if you ever want to talk about anything, come find me…" I am not sure what else to say without sounding as if I feel sorry for him… which I do.

"Thanks," he replies politely. "I might take you up on that soon."

"Great!" I give him a friendly smile. "Well, I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah, sure," he says before letting a small smile grace his lips.

I head back to my quarters and hop in my bed. I am exhausted from a long day of baking.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER THREE**

Author's Notes: I got the name "Clavis" from the Latin word for "key." I thought it was a fitting name for a former theif. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to leave a review and follow me on tumblr (tylerthinks . tumblr . com).

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!


	5. News of Trouble Afar

**THE KING AND THE BAKER**

* * *

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Slash, Swearing, Alcohol, Grotesque Violence, Sexual Situations

Pairing: Peeta/Cato

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or anything associated with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became the King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets.

Author's Notes: This chapter may be a little short, but it should give you a good taste of what I have in store for the plot. Enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR: NEWS OF TROUBLE AFAR**

I spend my morning working in the bakery, churning out loaves of bread and desserts to be consumed by royalty. Clavis is at my side. Lord Marvel granted him permission to help out in the bakery for a couple of hours, and with his help, I will have everything ready in time for the royal lunch scheduled for noon. The king, the queen, and all the other important people employed inside the castle will be present, and it is my duty to make sure they have plenty of bread to go with their meals and some tasty desserts for afterward.

"Are these ready?" Clavis asks while examining a couple of loaves still in one of the oven.

I walk over to him and take a quick peek. "Yep! They're good to go. Take them out and slice them into ten pieces of bread each. That's the way the queen likes hers."

Clavis gets to work and begins doing what he was told. I watch in awe as he skillfully maneuvers the knife around and slices the bread. He seems to be really dexterous and well versed with his hands. Maybe they are what aided him in his past life as a thief. What a pity it would be if he lost one like he almost did on the day he kneeled before the king to be judged for his crimes.

"So," I say, having a sudden spark of interest and curiosity about him, "what did you do before being captured?"

He stops slicing for a moment before glancing at me. I can tell it must be a touchy subject for him because he hesitates before answering. "Well… my parents died when I was very young, so I was put in an orphanage… but it was pretty miserable," he explains, "and after that, I ran away, lived on my own, and started stealing to survive."

"Oh…" I am unsure of what to say really. I've always figured he didn't live in the best conditions, but I didn't think his life was that bad. "I'm… sorry…"

Clavis shrugs his shoulders. "Don't worry about it. I'm in a much better place now, actually. I am well fed, have my own bed to sleep in, and Lord Marvel is surprisingly really nice to me. I owe him everything…"

"Oh… well… that's great!" I give him a smile which he returns happily.

We get everything together in time for the luncheon and begin carrying it out into the royal dining hall to serve. After all the bread is served, we stand to the side to let the other servants serve the rest of the food and drinks. Once that is done, the king stands and gives a toast to the kingdom, but before anyone can take a bite of their delicious-looking food, a messenger bursts into the room. He looks exhausted, inhaling and exhaling desperately to catch his breath.

"Y-Your Greatness… I… I… sorry to interrupt…" He leans down and puts his hands on his knees while he takes a few deep breaths. The rest of the room is totally silent. "Commander Enobaria… her ships were attacked by a massive fleet… I think they were Mycetians… she held them off long enough for my ship to escape, but last I checked, I saw the troops boarding her ship… I think she…"

Cato stood up and slammed his fist into the table below him, creating an enormously loud bang that radiated through the room. His face was scary… filled with signs of pure rage and hostility… the Wolf King has emerged.

"Where…" he said through gritted teeth.

"A few miles off the coast of Mycetias… the ships sailed south out of the northernmost parts of the Great Western Sea and caught us off guard…"

"What?! There's no land there other than the Scorched Mountains," Lord Marvel interrupted in disbelief. "It isn't even habitable…"

"I don't know, my Lord…"

Cato scans the room for a moment before speaking up. He looks into everyone's eyes individually… fierce and intense. "Regardless of from where the enemy naval fleet came, Lord Marvel, my Hand, do you agree that this is an act of war upon my kingdom?"

"Yes, Your Greatness," he replies formally. "It is an act of maritime aggression that must be met with full force."

"Then with all of you as my witnesses, I hereby declare war on Mycetias," the king says confidently. "It appears that Coin has finally come out of hiding after her defeat long ago. I will give her a reason to crawl back into the hole from which she came."

The king sits back down in his chair and takes a deep breath. He has a look on his face that looks as if he is deep within his own thoughts. "Messenger, alert the next in command of the navy… tell them I have requested preparations for a full scale assault," he says calmly before looking to Commander Brutus sitting at the other end of the table. "Prepare the army for an invasion and enlist as many volunteers as possible." The messenger and Commander Brutus nodded and left the room to follow their orders. "And Marvel, I'll need you to send a message to your father. Ask him for more troops… we're going to need them."

"Right," Marvel said as he stood up and left the room.

* * *

Later that night I find myself alone in my living quarters. I lie in my bed starring at the ceiling blankly. The castle is bustling with activity as people were literally preparing for war. I spend the rest of the day baking countless loaves of bread for the incoming soldiers, but now, my shift is over until morning.

My door is knocked on. I sit up quickly, a bit surprised. I was not expecting a visitor. "Come in."

The king quickly walks in alone and closes the door behind him. "Peeta… I need to talk to you…"

I pat a spot on my bed next to where I am sitting. The king joins me. "Is it about the war?" I ask curiously.

"Yes… and no…" he replies. "I know you were in the room when I declared war, so you already understand what happened… I just I have a favor to ask of you…"

"Anything for you, my king," I say as I begin feeling a bit nervous about what he might want from me.

The king peers into my eyes with a very serious look on his face. "I want you to travel with me… to war." He must be able to read the shock and concern on my face because he quickly explains himself. "I don't want us to be so far apart… I want to be able to protect you, and I can't do that when you're here and I'm in Mycetias."

I'm at a loss for words. "Well, what do you think?" the king asks.

"Won't it be… dangerous…? I don't even know how to fight…"

"Don't worry; you'll be safe at a heavily guarded encampment. You won't be on a battlefield at all," he tells me. "I just want you by my side as often as possible. I want to come back to my tent after a skirmish and be greeted by your beautiful face." The king reaches toward my neck and grabs the silver wolf charm he gave me earlier in the week. I strung it up and made a necklace out of it. "You're wearing my gift," he comments.

"Of course," I reply, "it reminds me of you."

I am pulled forward by the necklace into a light kiss. "So, do you agree to go with me?"

I nod hesitantly. The idea of traveling to a foreign land, no, enemy territory, frightens me.

"Don't worry," he assures me, "I will make sure you are well taken care of." Cato snakes an arm around me and pulls my body against his. "This war… it's important for me," he then explains, "I'm doing more than retaliating for Coin's assault on Commander Enobaria and my navy. I am seeking vengeance for my father and everyone else who has lost a loved one due to that wretched bitch during the Great War. She may have escaped last time, but this time, she will be punished."

One thing is for certain, the Great War was a costly, bloody one. Thousands upon thousands of men and women died due to Queen Coin's obsession with expansion and domination. Panem won the war, but after hearing that Coin escaped and went into hiding, the people of the kingdom were left feeling… empty and defeated. Bringing Coin to justice is something long overdue. In a way, I know how most of the villagers and Cato feel. Both of my brothers died serving in the Royal Army a few years ago. They were not fighting against the Mycetians, but the loss is all too similar.

"Peeta, I want you to learn the very basics of combat," Cato adds, "just in case trouble comes your way."

"How..?"

"Tomorrow I will introduce you to Sir Haymitch Abernathy. He's an old knight who is an expert at turning ordinary men into warriors," he explains. "He is one of the many people that taught me everything I know now. All you need is a couple days of training with him and you'll be able to handle a sword well enough to effectively defend yourself from an attacker."

"How long will it be until we… we set sail?"

"We aren't going anywhere until the waters are clear."

"You mean…?"

"I mean until my navy defeats Coin's." Cato plants a kiss on my cheek. "You have plenty of time to prepare," he mentions, "and before we leave, you should let your father know that you will be traveling with me. I'm sure he would like to know these kinds of things."

"He won't be thrilled," I tell him, "he already lost two sons in war. He won't be thrilled after hearing that his last born could potentially meet the same fate."

"I will keep you safe, I promise… make sure he understands that."

"I will," I say while giving a nod.

The king lets out an audible sigh. "This has been a stressful day," he mentions.

"I can only imagine…"

"Peeta, can you help me?"

"Help you what?" I ask.

"Help me take my mind off of things for a little while."

I want to ask him how, but it doesn't take my long to know what he means. I hesitate for a moment before leaning in and placing my lips against his. I think I caught him off guard because he pulls his head back to look into my eyes. He probably didn't expect me to actually move in for a kiss.

My hands move behind the king's head and my fingers graze through his hair. He reaches up, takes off his extravagant crown, and places it to the side. I pull our lips back together again while slightly opening my mouth. I feel Cato's tongue slip in ever so slightly, searching for my own. I allow him to find it, allow them to touch. My lips tingle pleasurably as his brush and smash against mine. The king lays me back on the bed and crawls on top of me.

"You are a light amongst darkness, leading me out of the fog that clouds my mind," the king tells me sweetly. "My heart… it flutters when I see you, and I feel as if everything in the world fades away when eyes turn upon you." I feel the king's lips upon my neck, placing gentle kisses in a path leading up to my mouth. "I never knew love could be so strong and powerful at first sight… until I saw you so long ago the first time I ventured to your family's bakery."

"Cato," I say as I feel his hands sliding down my chest, "have you really loved me for that long?"

"Absolutely, my sweet, little baker," he replies seductively, and in one swift motion, he rolls over, pulling me on top of his body. "Anytime I'm around you, my loins burn with passion and desire. It takes me a lot of willpower to overcome the primal urge to rip your clothes off and savage that beautiful body of yours."

Truth be told, I am beginning to feel the same way about the king… well, maybe a little less… blunt and aggressive.

"I dream of the day where we lay together in my bed, just in our skins, sharing our warmth and enjoying each other's touch," he tells me. "I dream of you feeding me grapes after I've filled you with me seed." Just picturing his dreams in my mind arouses me. "The day my fantasies become reality will be the greatest day of my life – a life with you, Peeta Mellark, the one person out of the whole world that has been able to capture my heart."

His words easily charm me. I am enchanted by him. In that moment, looking into his eyes, I see that everything he is telling me is the truth. I can feel it deep within my essence. We belong together, he and I, the king and the baker.

"I know my time with you may be short, Peeta, but I know, without a doubt, that I love you."

"Cato… my king… my… love… you have my heart as I have yours," I say with absolute honesty, "and looking back, I now see that agreeing to be your Royal Baker was the best decision I've ever made."

Cato smiles at me. "It truly is." The connection I feel with the king is one that I've never felt with anyone else. It is one of a kind. "I wish I could spend all night and day with you, but it my time is short here. I have important matters to attend to for this war."

I don't want him to leave, but I know he has to. As king, he has many duties and responsibilities to juggle. "I understand, but can I have one last kiss before you leave?"

"Of course, love." The king passionately kisses me one last time. He then puts his crown on and walks toward the door. "I'll greet you in the morning and introduce you to Sir Abernathy," he instructs, "so sleep well."

"Goodnight, my king."

"Goodnight, my sweet little baker."

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER FOUR**

Author's Notes: I hope you liked it, and get ready for some twists and turns!

Please leave a review! They are my motivation for writing and they make me feel great! Oh, and none of my fics are beta reviewed, so if you see any major mistake, feel free to PM me so I can fix them.

Also, you can follow me on tumblr for Peeto/Peetato entertainment and news about my fanfics at: tylerthinks . tumblr . com (remove the spaces).

AND…

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!


	6. The Unavoidable Duty

**THE KING AND THE BAKER**

* * *

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Slash, Swearing, Alcohol, Grotesque Violence, Sexual Situations

Pairing: Peeta/Cato

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or anything associated with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became the King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets.

Author's Notes: In this chapter, the point of view switches between Peeta and Cato. Brace yourself and enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE: THE UNAVOIDABLE DUTY**

_Peeta's POV_

I wait patiently in my room for the king to arrive. I just finished a quick breakfast in the common kitchen and dressed myself comfortably. Today is the day I learn basic combat skills as the king suggested to me last night. That way, he will feel safer about bring me along with him to Mycetias. I am a little nervous about it. I have never been in a fight my entire life. How hard can it be though?

I hear a knock at my door and open it up immediately after. The king stands in the doorway with a slight grin. "You ready?" he asks.

I nod. "Yeah, I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

"Well, before I show you the way, I have a present for you." Cato pulls his hands from behind his back and reveals a sheathed sword to me. "You can't learn to use a sword if you don't even have one!"

"Woah!" I say in shock. The king hands me the sword, which looks very similar to his signature sword. I hold it gently and examine the sheath. It's sturdy and composed of a mixture of materials. It also has a silver wolf head displayed proudly on both broad sides. The tang is covered with a black leather hilt for grip support. The pommel is a ferocious looking metal wolf head with an open mouth and fearsome fangs. It is weighted – I assume for some kind of counterbalance support. I take hold of the hilt with my fingers right below the simple silver dome guard designed to protect the hands from glancing blows and pull the sword from its sheath, revealing a magnificent, glimmering metal blade. "It's… it's amazing!"

"It better be," the king replies with a smile, "it's a replica of mine." Cato draws his sword from the sheath at his waist. I examine it in comparison with mine. He's right, it is a replica. They're the exact same except for the fact that Cato's sword has gold trim… probably _real_ gold. "Sir Abernathy will probably start your off with a wooden sword so you can get your technique down, I feel you at least deserve a sword you can call your own."

"Cato… I… I can't thank you enough!"

"You don't need to thank me. I should be thanking you even more for agreeing to travel to Mycetias with me in a time a war," he explains. "It really means a lot to me. You don't know how grateful I am to know that after a battle I can see your face and be comforted by your presence."

I sheath me sword before Cato steps forward and places a gentle kiss on my lips. "…anything for you, my king."

"My kingdom is truly blessed to have you as a citizen." Cato sheaths his own sword and walks to the door. "Now let's go meet Sir Abernathy and get you some combat skills."

Together we venture to a section of the castle I have never traveled before. Cato leads me to a large room with weapons hooks up neatly to the walls. Wooden dummies, which I assume are for taking the abuse of the weapons on the walls, are at the center of the room. Off to the right is a small table where three strangers are sitting.

"Ah, there's the king," the oldest of the three says with a slightly slurred voice. He has blonde hair down to his neck that is starting to turn grey and his face is quite scruffy.

"Are you drunk, Sir Abernathy?" Cato asks.

The only female in the room speaks up. "Is the sky blue?" She has hair long brown hair and a quiver full of arrows strapped around her back. The boy, or man, sitting next to her has dark hair, tanned skin, and a quiver around his back as well.

Cato laughs. "Well, this is Peeta Mellark, the Royal Baker. Teach him the basics. Don't give him too much trouble."

"Yes, Your Greatness," the drunk says as he stands and bows sloppily.

"Good luck," Cato says to me as turns toward the exit. Before he can leave though, Clavis hastily walks in. "My king," he greets respectfully, "Lord Marvel urgently requests audience with you as soon as possible."

The king nods and follows Clavis out of the room.

I look over to the three strangers at the table again. "So, Royal Baker," the man speaks up, "I am Sir Haymitch Abernathy, a legendary hero of the Great War. I once slew 50 Mycetian troops with my bare hands!"

"It was only 47," the girl interrupts.

"Oh, shut up." Sir Abernathy groans rolls his eyes. "That wench is Katniss Everdeen and the gloat sitting next to her is Gale Hawthrone. They are Royal Hunters that provide the wild game for the King's meals and serve as archers in the Royal Army."

"Oh, it's uh, nice to meet you all," I voice nervously.

"So, let's begin!"

* * *

_Cato's POV_

Leaving Peeta in Sir Abernathy's hands makes me nervous. Sure, he was an amazing warrior in his youth, but now he has turned into a bit of a belligerent drunk. However, he has proven to be excellent at teaching combat skills. I learned a fair amount of mine from him in the past. If anyone is capable of teaching a baker, one who has never even swung a sword before, how to fight in only a couple of days, it is Sir Abernathy.

I follow Marvel's slave-servant though my castle. He must have news from his father.

We arrive at his chambers and walk right in. My Hand immediately stands up while holding a letter in his hands. "My king, I have just received a letter via pigeon from my father…"

"Has he agreed to send more of his men to aid the war effort?" I ask.

Marvel shakes his head. "No my king… he hasn't agreed," he explains, "but that's not all the news he brings…"

I can tell by the tone of Marvel's voice that his father hasn't sent us any good news. I brace myself, expecting the worst.

"He says he's going to withdraw all his men currently stationed in the Royal Army and Navy."

"What! Why?" I shout angrily.

"He wants you to have a rightful heir to the throne, one with Crane blood coursing through his veins," Marvel says calmly. "You know how he is. He wants power. He wants my family to ascend to the highest position of power possible."

There are times where I hate Seneca Crane. All he wants is control over the throne, and the only way he can truly have that is to have someone with his family's blood sitting in it as king. That's the only reason he wants me to have an heir.

Unfortunately, I owe the man a lot.

Without him, I never would have been able to fend off my enemies. Without him, I never would have been able to become king.

I have always wondered why he didn't simply take the throne by force. He has the manpower and wealth to do it. "Why doesn't your father just march his troops to my castle and take it by force?" I ask a bit harshly. "You know he's very capable of it."

Marvel sighs. "My king, we both know of his lust for power is strong, but my father has thought about this for quite some time. He knows that taking the throne by force will turn the people against him, and no king can rule long if the people despise him."

"That bastard has everything planned out, doesn't me?"

Marvel nods. "There is a… silver lining though, my king."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Well, my father has agreed to lend us the troops if you… and my sister… fornicate…" Marvel hands me the letter.

I take a deep and begin reading. Near the end of the letter, I learn that Marvel was telling the truth. Seneca Crane is really adamant about that heir. I have been king of Panem for about three years, and I have been married to Glimmer for nearly as long. In all that time, not once have we had sex. It didn't take the two of us long to realize that there was no mutual attraction between us. Glimmer is a beautiful woman, probably the most beautiful woman in all of Panem, and she has told me many times before how handsome I am, but there is just no connection. I don't love her and she doesn't love me. We got married for wealth, power, and security.

As queen, Glimmer gets to sit on a smaller throne next to mine. She gets to make some minor decisions that affect the kingdom, but her main duty is to carry and give birth to my heir. She is well aware of this duty and accepted it as her fate when she said, "I do," at our wedding. I never imagined though that she would have to fulfill her duty so soon.

"Find your sister," I order. "I want to get this over as soon as possible."

I have to admit, things immediately begin to feel quite awkward. I realize that I ordered him to go find his sister… so I can have sex with her... no good brother should have to do such a thing. If I had a sister, I definitely wouldn't want to do it. "Actually, scratch that, I'll find her on my own. You go relax. Have some wine."

"Thank you, my king, but before I go, I have something I would like to say..."

I nod, ready to hear him out.

"While my father may have a lot at his disposal, there is one thing you possess that he doesn't…"

I look into Marvel's eyes intently.

"…my loyalty."

His words bring a smile to my face. I've always known I could trust Marvel, but now I definitely have no doubts. "I guess I made a good decision when I agreed to let you be my right hand man."

Marvel laughs. "Do you think I will be a good uncle?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Do you think I will be a good… father?" I cringe at the idea of a child looking up to me and calling me "father" so soon in my life. It makes me think of what kind of parent I would be. Would I be a good father? I have enough money to provide food, shelter, clothing, and anything my child could need into adulthood, but would that make be a good father? I don't know the first thing about parenting.

…and what about Peeta? What will he think of me as a father? What role will he play in my future… and my child's future?

"Is something on your mind, my king?"

I shake away the thoughts as they begin to crowd my mind and inhibit my focus. "I was just… thinking… of what it would be like…"

"It's scary, isn't it?" Marvel asks.

"Yeah… it actually scares me more than this war were about to venture off to."

"I know how you feel. It's only a matter of time before my father makes an agreement with another house and picks out a bride for me."

"My child will not be married for wealth and power… I will make sure of that."

"And I will do the same for mine," Marvel replies.

There is a moment of silence. "So, did you get any reports for the battlefront at sea?" I ask.

"Oh, yes, they came in right before I got the letter from my father." Marvel grabs a small scroll off of his desk, opens it up, and begins reading. "It seems ships are breaking through the enemies lines and beginning to push them closer to the coast of Mycetias."

"Perfect," I say, "I can't wait to make that bitch Coin suffer for all the pain she has caused my people in the past."

A few minutes later, Marvel and I part ways. It is only a matter of time before I can avenge my father's death, but first, I have a deed that must be accomplished.

I must impregnate my wife...

* * *

_Peeta's POV_

Sir Haymitch Abernathy is an asshole.

I don't think I've ever amassed so much hate for someone in such a short amount of time in my life. How can someone be so rude? I'm surprised that Katniss girl hasn't killed him already.

On the other hand, his constant slurs and insults did provide me with a lot of motivation. I felt like I had to prove him wrong. I had to show him that I could use proper technique with a sword and a bow. I had to show him that I wasn't weak. I had to show him that I could defend myself if I had to. Granted, I still have _a lot_ to learn and pretty much _no_ experience. Oh well, at least I can swing a sword without cutting myself now.

Cato walks into my living quarters and gives me a quick smile. "How'd it go?" he asked. "I hope Sir Haymitch didn't get too crazy on you."

"Oh, he's crazy alright," I mutter.

Cato laughs. "Well, at least he didn't puke on you. He tends to do that sometimes when he drinks too much."

"That doesn't surprise me." I sit down on my bed, exhausted. Sir Abernathy's training really wore me out. Cato sits next to me. "I need to talk to you about something, Peeta... something… important."

"Oh, okay…" I get a bit nervous. He went from happy to serious in a split second.

"This is a… personal matter, but I feel that you should know about it," he begins. "As king, I have many duties and responsibilities to address… and more importantly, I have a legacy I must sustain." His eyes avert toward the ground. "All kings know that they need an heir, a prince, but I always thought I wouldn't have to worry about that for many, many years…"

"Wait… are you trying to tell me… that you… are a…"

"Not yet," he interrupts politely, "at least… not for another… nine months or so if things go according to plan."

"So you…"

"Yes, I had sex with my… wife. I had to do it, Peeta," he admits.

I hit with emotions like a ton of bricks. At first, I'm not sure what to think. Should I be jealous? Should I feel like I'm intruding on his family? I'm not sure, but there is one thing that I am sure of. I can't hate him for what he did. Every king needs a rightful blood heir, and it was something that he couldn't avoid.

"I'm sorry, Peeta."

"No, Cato, you don't have to be sorry. You're the king… you do what you have to do for Panem," I assure him. "I'm not mad at you… I just… I don't know how to react."

"Peeta, I just want you to know that you mean more to me than any man or woman in the world," he tells kindly. "I don't know how, but in such a short amount of time… I've fallen so much for you." I feel the king's arms wrap around me for a soft, prolonged hug. "When I was in bed with Glimmer, I couldn't stop thinking of you… I kept picturing you under me instead of her… I just… can't get you out of my mind."

I lay back in my bed and the king falls back on the mattress with me. We cuddle together, close and quickly become comfortable. I have no doubt in my mind that the king has stolen my heart. Every time he speaks to me, I find myself becoming more and more enchanted by his words. He is a charming man for sure. "Cato, what does the future hold for me?" I ask him curiously. "I mean… I don't exactly fit well into your royal family."

"I don't care about you not fitting in," he quickly replies. "No matter what the future has in store, I want you to be a part of it."

"Then I will be a part of it."

"Thank you, Peeta," he king says before kissing my forehead. "I need to leave now, but tomorrow I will take an extended break from my busy day to spend some alone time with you, just the two of us," he informs me. "I want us to have some… peaceful time together before we have to travel."

Cato pulls me into a slow but strong hug. "We are only a few days out from leaving. My navy is making some progress against Coin's ships in the Great Western Sea, so be prepared."

I nod and hug him back, feeling his warm and powerful body pressed against mine.

We stand connected for a little longer before Cato finally breaks. "I'll see you tomorrow around noon."

"Oh, don't forget to let your father know that you'll be leaving the kingdom."

"I'll tell him in the morning," I reply.

Cato sends a quick, parting smile my way before leaving the room.

* * *

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading, and please don't get discouraged! The Peeto action is coming up, and the action is right around the corner!

Leave a review if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.

Feel free to follow me on tumblr at tylerthinks . tumblr . com (remove the spaces)

And may the odds be ever in your favor!


	7. From the King's Chambers

**THE KING AND THE BAKER**

* * *

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Slash, Swearing, Alcohol, Grotesque Violence, Sexual Situations

Pairing: Peeta/Cato

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or anything associated with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: After the death of his grandfather, Cato of House Snow became the King of Panem. He acquired a taste for the delicious cupcakes made by a boy in a local bakery named Peeta Mellark. Peeta soon learned however that the King didn't frequent the bakery just for his sweets.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay!

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX: FROM THE KING'S CHAMBERS**

It's the middle of the morning and Kingsland is bustling. People are out and about, bartering, buying, and selling goods left and right. Soldiers march through the streets in preparation for the invasion of Mycetias. The city is the busiest it's been in quite a long time.

The carriage driver comes to a stop in front of my family's bakery. I step out and walk inside to find my father and two hired hands working behind the counter. "Peeta?" he says in shock as he catches sight of me. "How are you!?"

I give him a warm smile as I approach and wrap my arms around him in a huge hug. "I'm doing good, father. How are things going here?"

"Everything's running smoothly," he tells me. "Hey, is that a sword?"

My father looks down to my waist, where I have my sword in its hilt in a holster attached to my belt. "Yeah, it's a gift from the king."

"And this?" he asks as he touches the wolf head charm on a necklace around my neck.

I nod.

"So, I take it that the king has been treating you well?"

I nod again, hoping he doesn't catch me blushing.

"That's wonderful." My father walks back behind the counter and begins wiping flour off of it. "I'm sure you already know about the war now that you're living in the king's castle, right?"

"Yeah… well… that's actually one of the reasons why I've come to visit," I say, cutting to the chase.

"What do you mean?" he asks suspiciously.

"I'm traveling with the king and his army to Mycetias…"

My father stands in silence. He is momentarily stunned and in a state of disbelief.

"You're… wait… why?" I see tears welling up in his eyes. "No, Peeta… I can't… I can't lose you… I can't lose another son to these never ending wars!"

"But… father… I won't be on the battlefield," I promise him, "and the king said he would keep me safe."

He sighs. "You know how I feel about this, son."

"I will stay out of harm," I insist, "I won't even see any combat."

My father stays silent for a few seconds before speaking up again. "Why are you traveling there with the king anyway?"

"He wants me by his side," I admit hesitantly. "I'll be in charge of keeping his tent in order and preparing his meals.

My father does not seem convinced. "Why can't he get one of his servants to do that? Why you?"

"Because," I insist, "he trusts me, and you need to trust me also. I will return home from this unscathed. I promise."

He sighs and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Fine," he begins, "when you return to port, I expect you to come straight to my bakery so I can hug you, understood?"

I laugh. "Yes father, I will."

"Good boy," he says as he hugs me close, "I've raised you well."

* * *

I say my final goodbyes to my father before heading back to the castle. I arrive to find that I have orders to meet the king in his chambers immediately. I head straight there and I am let inside by guards at the door. When I walk inside, I find the king disrobed and in his bed with the comforter covering from waist and below. He is sitting up with his back propped up by pillows. His hands are behind his head with his arms spread on either side of him like wings. He looks so confident, so majestic.

"Peeta, would you mind pulling down the locks?" he asks kindly.

I nod and do as I am told. The doors are locked firmly.

Cato removes the covers and stands up from his bed. He reveals to me his nude form in all its glory. "My king…" I say as I turn away. It is my initial reaction, but I soon turn to look at him again. He appears comfortable in his unclothed state.

"Are you blushing?" he inquires with a grin on his face. "It's okay. I simply felt that it was time to… reveal myself to you," he explains, "since you will be responsible for clothing, armoring, and bathing me in the encampments." My eyes scan the beautiful, defined muscles of his arms, chest, and stomach before they inadvertently dip lower and taken in the sight of his kingly cock. I think I feel my mouth water and my heart beat faster. "I can't trust any of my servants," he adds, "the risk of any of them being a spy for Coin or an assassin is too great. However, I know I can trust you. With you in charge of the king's tent, I should not have to worry about being poisoned or having my throat cut while I sleep. You and I will be the only ones allowed in that tent unless I give permission otherwise."

"That sounds reasonable," I reply while gulping nervously.

The king walks toward me until he is only inches away. He takes my hand and holds it gently before speaking again. "What do you think of me, Peeta?"

"I think you're very handsome and…"

"No," he interrupts, "I mean, do you feel for me as much as I feel for you?"

I look up into his eyes and see them staring down into mine. "Of course… I feel… dare I say… love for you… and not the kind shared among friends and family…"

The king smirks. "Good… I was just double checking because I want to show you how my feelings have grown for you… I want you to feel all I have to offer you," he says, "and most importantly, I want to make love to you now because it may be the only opportunity we get for quite a long time… or possibly… the _last_ opportunity we get."

I lower my eyes to the floor. I do not want to think about either of us dying. The king puts a finger under my chin and raises it up so we see face to face again. "Do you want this, Peeta? If not… I won't force you."

"I do want it," I say without any second thoughts. I really do want it, especially since I may not have another chance.

Cato suddenly and abrupt pulls me so that are bodies press against one another. I feel his massive cock, hardening fast, pressing against my clothed crotch. His lips latch onto mine and his tongue quickly pierces them for access to my mouth. I allow it and his tongue wrestles with my own.

My lips tingle as Cato drags me to his bed and tosses me onto it. I look up to him and see his cock fully aroused. I watch it twitch ever so slightly and drip with its white seed. He crawls on the bed and straddles my waist before removing my vest and shirt. His lips pecked kissed down my neck, chest, and stomach before reaching my waist. He looked up to me and I nodded to him, giving him permission to take it one step further. The king hastily removes my pants and underwear.

I feel Cato's eyes stare at my freshly naked body hungrily. "So beautiful," he mutters, and before I know it, his hand wraps around my rock hard cock and strokes. I am then forcefully rolled onto my stomach and my ass is given a healthy smack. It is in that moment that I realize that Cato is a _rough_ lover in bed. My mind beings to question if I've gotten myself in something I would regret, but the thoughts are quickly dismissed when I feel his tongue glide across my hole. "Fuck!"

"You like that?" Cato asks sweetly before crawling up the bed and rubbing his cock against my ass. I arch my back and press it against his hard rod as my answer. "Eager, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll give you all you could ever want and much, much more."

Truth be told, I have fingered myself in the past, so I know what kind of pleasure awaits me. I want it so bad from Cato. I could not think of a better person to be receiving from.

He forces me over onto my back again and his mouth quickly goes to work once more, this time on my balls. He takes each one into his mouth and gently and suckles on them while his hands massage my thighs. The king makes me insanely horny. I want nothing more for than for him to keep pleasuring me, and he seems to be very willing to do so. It seems like he is more concerned with my pleasure than his own, which is a very good sign among his rough actions.

Without warning he places my cock in his warm, wet mouth. I feel his tongue licking wildly at the head. "Cato," I barely manage to say because of the moans he pulls out of me. The brute looks up at me and smirks. "You're close, aren't you?" he questions. I nod. "Virgins…" In only a matter of minutes he nearly has me unloading. "Well, I guess we better skip to the main attraction."

Cato stands up and grabs something from across the room. "Here, take some of this oil," he says as he grabs my hand and dips my fingers in it. "Make sure you're nice and slick for me."

I do as I am told once more. I take my oiled up fingers and rub them around my entrance slowly while the king watches me closely. His eyes were fixed on my fingers and practically followed their every movement. "It'll help with the pain," he informs me. "I want your first time to be more enjoyable than painful."

One of my fingers enters my hole, pushing in quite easily due to help from the slick. I slide it in and out while listening to the king's dead silence. He seems to be in some sort of an erotic trance. His full focus was on me. "You have no clue, Peeta Mellark, of how aroused you are making me feel right now." Looking down as his cock, I do have a clue. It juts out into the open air and twitches occasionally. A bead of white seed drools from the tip. It wants inside me.

I slick myself up some more by probing my finger deeper and even adding a second. Cato was right, it made things much easier to fit in and move. "Are you ready, royal baker?" the king asks with a smug grin. I give him a nod and he walks up to the side of the bed immediately. His strong hands pull me to the edge and hang my legs over his shoulders. Cato leans down and whispers, "Relax," before giving me a slow kiss.

The next thing I feel is the head of his cock pressing against my tight ass. It pushes harder and harder as the king's hands hold onto my thighs for support. His hands ball up into fists while clenching the sheets of the bed. Seconds later, the head slips in. I let out a pained groan as he the king continues sliding more of it in.

I try to relax as I am told. To do so, I take a slow, deep breath, and before I know it, Cato has his entire length and girth inside me. "So warm, so tight," he comments with pure lust tainting his voice. He soon begins a slow rhythm of moving his hips back, pulling his length out of me slightly right before pushing forward again. I let out a moan I cannot contain. I feel his length press over a certain spot inside me as his cock thrusts away. Good thing he had the oil ready. I can't imagine how I would be feeling without it.

Slowly, the king's rhythm builds. One of his hands moves down to my cock where it wraps around it firmly and strokes with the same rhythm as his thrusts. I am at Cato's mercy. He controls my pleasure, and I am more than willing to hand that control over to him. He knows exactly what to do with it.

By the looks on the king's face, I have a feeling he won't last much longer inside me. It is not an issue though for I feel my release nearing as well. His hand works faster at stroking my cock and his thrust quicken into a rough pounding that slams into my ass. I know that it is only an ounce of his real power. He could do much more damage if he wanted.

I then feel my muscles tighten right before pleasure erupts from my cock while my seed shoots forth onto my stomach and chest. I hear Cato moan once more and fill his seed fire inside me seconds later.

My body falls limp in a haze of orgasm and the king's does the same. He removes himself from me before lying by my side and kissing my neck passionately. "My king, you were gr…"

"Shh…" Cato interrupts before standing, grabbing a cloth, and wiping my chest clean. "You don't have to compliment me," he explains. "I should be the one complimenting you. You took it quite well." I let off a bit of a joyful laugh and the king returns one as well.

We soon find our clothes and put them back on. We fix each other's hair to make ourselves look presentable again, and just as we finish, we hear a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" the king calls out.

"It's me," Lord Marvel replies. "I have urgent news."

"Then come in."

Lord Marvel walks inside and shuts the door behind him. As soon as he notices that I was alone with the king, he lets out a bit of a laugh. "Have I interrupted something?"

"No, no, you're fine," Cato replies. He has a cocky smirk on his face as well. He was proud of getting to bed with me. I can see it.

The mood changes quickly though as Marvel presents his news. "Your Greatness, your navy has prevailed. Coin's chips have made a full retreat for the coast of Mycetias. Lord Brutus has readied the army for invasion and boarding them on ships immediately. When do you wish to set sail?"

Cato nods at the news. "When will my men actually set foot on land?"

"It depends on how soon your navy takes over the ports, Your Greatness. I foresee this happening later tonight and your army should arrive to the coast on our fastest ships by the break of dawn."

"Then I will set sail at morning," Cato decides. "Tell Brutus to have a camp set on land up by the time I arrive."

"Yes, my king!" the lord replied before hurriedly leaving the room.

Tomorrow I set sail with the king.

Tomorrow I enter the war.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER SIX**

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! And once again, sorry for the delay! Unfortuantely, the next chapter may be delayed as well since I have more responsibilities to handle IRL.

Leave a review if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.

Feel free to follow me on tumblr at catopeeta . tumblr . com (remove the spaces - changed from tylerthinks to catopeeta)

And may the odds be ever in your favor!


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